Serum glucose/potassium ratio as a clinical risk factor for predicting the severity and prognosis of acute traumatic spinal cord injury

Abstract Objective Acute traumatic Spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a devastating event that causes severe sensory and motor impairments as well as autonomic dysfunction in patients, yet relevant clinical biomarkers have not been established. This study aimed to determine the significance of the serum glucose/potassium ratio (GPR) in evaluating TSCI severity and predicting prognosis. Methods An analysis of 520 clinical records of acute TSCI patients from January 2012 to June 2022 was conducted. The relationships between serum GPR and The American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade 6-month post-trauma prognosis and the admission AIS grade were analyzed. To evaluate the discriminatory ability, a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Results Based on the initial assessment of AIS grade, 256 (49.2%) patients were categorized into the severe TSCI group (AIS A–B), and there was a significant correlation between the severe TSCI group and serum GPR (p